Image display apparatus and image generation method

Abstract

An image display apparatus according to an embodiment of the present technology includes a solid-state light source, an emission unit, and a selection unit. The solid-state light source is capable of emitting first visible light having a predetermined wavelength range. The emission unit includes an illuminant that emits second visible light, the illuminant being excited by the first visible light emitted from the solid-state light source, the second visible light having a wavelength range different from that of the first visible light, the emission unit being capable of emitting combined light including the first and second visible light. The selection unit selects third visible light from the combined light, the third visible light including the first visible light and light in a predetermined part of wavelength range of the second visible light.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An image display apparatus, comprising:
 a solid-state light source capable of emitting first visible light having a predetermined wavelength range; 
 an emitter including an illuminant that emits second visible light, the illuminant being excited by the first visible light emitted from the solid-state light source, the second visible light having a wavelength range different from that of the first visible light, the emitter being capable of emitting combined light including the first and second visible light; and 
 a selector including a dichroic mirror that selects third visible light directly from the combined light by selectively transmitting the third visible light therethrough, the third visible light including the first visible light and light in a predetermined part of wavelength range of the second visible light, wherein the light in the predetermined part of wavelength range of the second visible light is light in a cyan wavelength range between 460 nm and 545 nm. 
 
     
     
       2. The image display apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the selector selects the third visible light with a predetermined target chromaticity as a reference. 
 
     
     
       3. The image display apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 an image generator including three image generation elements that generate images of RGB colors and a combiner that combines the images of RGB colors with each other, wherein 
 the selector selects the third visible light as blue light for generating a blue image out of the images of RGB colors. 
 
     
     
       4. The image display apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the solid-state light source is a blue laser light source that emits laser light in a blue wavelength range. 
 
     
     
       5. The image display apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the blue laser light source emits the blue laser light having a center wavelength of approximately 445 nm, and 
 the selector selects the third visible light from the combined light with light in a wavelength of approximately 520 nm as a reference. 
 
     
     
       6. The image display apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the selector selects the third visible light with a predetermined target chromaticity as a reference, and 
 the target chromaticity is a chromaticity for blue color in an sRGB color gamut. 
 
     
     
       7. The image display apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the illuminant includes any one of a YAG-based phosphor, a LAG-based phosphor, and a CaSN-based phosphor. 
 
     
     
       8. An image generation method, comprising:
 emitting first visible light having a predetermined wavelength range to an illuminant to excite the illuminant, causing the illuminant to emit second visible light having a wavelength range different from that of the first visible light, and emitting combined light including the first and second visible light; and 
 generating an image by selecting third visible light from the emitted combined light via a dichroic mirror that selects the third visible light directly from the combined light by selectively transmitting the third visible light therethrough, and modulating the selected third visible light, the third visible light including the first visible light and light in a predetermined part of wavelength range of the second visible light, wherein the light in the predetermined part of wavelength range of the second visible light is light in a cyan wavelength range between 460 nm and 545 nm.